Montclair promotes lifelong learning for all of its residents, beginning with public elementary schools and continuing through college and adult education programs. The Ontario-Montclair School District, founded in 1884, is the second largest elementary district in California, serving an area of 26 square miles, including Montclair, most of Ontario, parts of Upland, and unincorporated San Bernardino County. Throughout its 28 elementary and six middle schools, the District promotes a diverse learning program, and a commitment to building character and learning skills, extending numerous services such as after school programs.

Montclair High School is a Title 1 school that receives additional funding which allows it to offer numerous programs that help students achieve academic success. With the help of these programs, the school has reached its goals, including successful Honors and GATE, and AVID programs, as well as free after school tutoring. Parents are also involved in the Parents Institute program, which teaches parents how to help their children succeed in school.

The Trinity Academy of Music provides an alternative environment for students wishing to pursue an education in music. The Academy employs a highly educated staff, who demand the best quality from students in training for nearly all instruments, vocal training, and music theory.

In a joint effort of the Montclair Community Collaborative and Chaffey College, Montclair schools offer their students the opportunity to attend college at no cost through the Online to College program. Participating students who complete their entire education in the City of Montclair (5th through 12th grade) are admitted to the two-year public community college located in Rancho Cucamonga. Once there they can choose from 100 academic and occupational programs and may work to complete a two-year associate degree or one-year occupational certificate.

In addition to Chaffey College with an enrollment of nearly 20,000, Montclair lies adjacent to the highly prestigious Claremont Colleges which are located northwest of the city. The five undergraduate colleges include Claremont McKenna, Pomona, Scripps, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer, and the two graduate colleges include Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute. The Claremont Colleges have over 6,500 full-time students enrolled and over 95% live on campus. Other nearby colleges include California State Universities at Pomona and San Bernardino.